With the iOS 26 public beta now out, you may have chosen to give the new software update a try ahead of its general release in the fall. If that's the case, Apple has made some changes and feature additions to the iPhone Lock Screen that you may want to check out.


To download the iOS 26 public beta to your iPhone, go to Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update, then tap Beta Updates and choose iOS 26 Public Beta from the checklist. Tap Back, and wait for the update screen to appear, then hit Update Now.

Things can always change before the software makes its way to the general iPhone-owning public, but here are five new things iOS 26 can do on the Lock Screen as of the current developer beta.

Widgets Top or Bottom

In iOS 18, the row of widgets on your Lock Screen is literally locked in place right below the clock. In iOS 26, however, Customize mode lets you drag them down to the bottom of the screen, so that they hover just above the two quick actions (assuming you have any). The new optional positioning makes tapping a widget during one-handed use a lot easier. Note: to customize your Lock Screen, long press on it, then tap Customize.

Make the Time Bigger

In iOS 26, Apple has made it so that the clock on the Lock Screen can be expanded to fill more of the display, making it easier to read. This can be done in Customize mode thanks to a new drag handle on the bottom-right corner of the selection frame around the time.

You can make the digits take up half of the screen, though if you have any widgets, they will slide down to the bottom of the display. In addition, if you have a depth effect applied to a photo and pinch to crop, the time will automatically adjust to accommodate the subject. Bear in mind that the ability to expand the time seems to depend on the selected photo – if there's no space above the photo's subject, the drag handle won't appear.

Quicker Photo Access

The Lock Screen in iOS 26 has a different Photos selection button in Customize mode that appears as a miniature version of the currently displayed photo. If you tap it, you now have an option to Show Photo in Library, making it easier to find the picture, or you can take the existing route and tap Choose Photo to pick another image.

Spatial Scenes

The iPhone 15 Pro and newer models can take Spatial Photos, and while the 3D photos have a realistic depth to them, they're best viewed on Apple's Vision Pro. In iOS 26, however, the Photos app has inherited the Vision Pro's ability to convert 2D images into a 3D Spatial Scene. Not all photos work with the spatial feature, but if you create a new Lock Screen wallpaper, iOS will automatically serve up compatible photos with the feature already applied and ready to be viewed.

The feature is hard to appreciate with a still image, but the results are impressive as the image animates when you move your device. Spatial Scenes use machine learning rather than Apple Intelligence, which means the feature is available on iPhone 12 and newer devices.

Music Album Animations

iOS 26 introduces full-screen animated album art on the iPhone Lock Screen for select Apple Music tracks. By tapping the album art in the Lock Screen music player, the artwork expands and animates, creating a more immersive listening experience. While animated album art has been available within the Apple Music app for some time, this marks its first appearance on the Lock Screen. Not all songs support it yet, but the number is steadily increasing. Apple is also opening the Animated Album Art feature to third‑party developers, so expect it to work with apps like Spotify and YouTube Music soon.
This article, "iOS 26 Public Beta: Check Out What's New on Your iPhone Lock Screen" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Blender has revealed it is developing a native iPad version of its popular open source 3D creation suite, complete with a fully-featured multitouch interface tailored to artists who rely on tablets.


According to the Blender development team, the idea is to bring the full power of Blender to popular tablet devices without compromises, starting with the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil Pro. From the blog post announcement:

This requires adapting to platform-specific paradigms, but also to offer more task-oriented user interfaces with reduced information density. This will be achieved by extending existing input methods, and improving workspaces and application templates, running on top of a regular Blender build.

The first version will reportedly focus on sculpting and basic object manipulation, with hopes of bringing tools like the Grease Pencil and storyboarding to the iPad later.

The team's current mockups show a single-window workflow that prioritizes screen real estate and quick access to tools via floating UI elements and contextual overlays. Menus are collapsed by default, and the usual Tool Settings header has been replaced with floating panels tailored to pen input.

Notably, this isn't a simplified mobile version of the app. "There is no specific intention of simplifying or tailoring Blender to appeal to an audience that might not be familiar with Blender or 3D," the team explains. Instead, the goal is to implement new core features in Blender while designing a custom application template tailored for devices like the iPad.

"The audience is 'Blender users'," the developers emphasize. "There is no distinction between desktop or tablet users, the same way mouse/keyboard and graphic tablet users are treated equally."

No release date has been announced, but Blender says a live tech demo will be shown at SIGGRAPH 2025 in Vancouver, with follow-up discussions and design workshops planned for Blender HQ and the Blender Conference later in 2025.

After iPad Pro development has reached the app release stage, Blender is expected to make an appearance on other touch-based input devices including the Microsoft Surface, Huawei MatePad, and Wacom MovinkPad. Some of the work being done for tablets will also benefit the desktop version, such as a Quick Favorites editor and a Helper overlay with curated shortcuts.

It's a bold plan for the open-source 3D software, which has previously been limited to desktop platforms. The latest Blender build can be downloaded for free from the Blender website, for both Intel and Apple silicon Macs.
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If you've just downloaded the iOS 26 public beta on your iPhone, the first thing you'll notice is the new Liquid Glass design overhaul, which adopts translucent elements throughout the system interface and in stock apps.

On the Home Screen, the search bar, dock, and app folders are translucent. By default, app icons have a new layered glass look that gives them dimension, but there's also a new option for "Clear" glass-like icons. This setting turns your app icons transparent, and widgets too. So if you want the full glass effect, read on.


In iOS 18, Apple introduced Dark Mode and Tinted app icons. With iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, Apple adds a third visual style – Clear – that removes the color from app icons and widgets, and applies reflective, translucent effects to make them appear see-through.

There are two versions of the new Clear style. In Light mode, app icons appear semi-transparent, subtly darkening the wallpaper beneath them. Both icons and widgets resemble glass-like panels with layered text and images. In Dark mode, icons retain some transparency but feature a darker background, making them more pronounced while preserving the layered, translucent aesthetic.

Apple also includes an Auto option that dynamically adapts to the Appearance setting of your iPhone.

How to Get Clear App Icons in iOS 26

1. On your iPhone's Home Screen, long press an empty space until it enters jiggle mode.


2. Tap Edit in the top-left corner, then tap Customize in the pop-up menu.
   
   
3. Select Clear in the panel that appears at the bottom.


4. Choose Light, Dark, or Auto mode. If a mode makes icons or app labels hard to see, tap the sun icon in the top-left of the Customize panel to dim the wallpaper.
   
   

Accessibility Settings

If legibility is a problem, there are two toggles in Settings ➝ Accessibility ➝ Display & Text Size that impact the look of the Clear style of icons. Try playing with Reduce Transparency and Increase Contrast – just note that toggling on both settings will cause the icons to lose most of their translucency.


Liquid Glass extends to iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26. ‌iPadOS 26‌ looks a lot like ‌iOS 26‌, and macOS 26 has a translucent menu bar and dock background, plus it uses Liquid Glass for buttons, side bars, navigation bars, and the Control Center. What do you think of the new Clear style and the Liquid Glass redesign of iOS 26 more broadly? Let us know in the comments.
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AppleCare One, Apple's new subscription for customers to cover multiple devices with a single plan, is now available.


AppleCare One starts at $19.99 per month for up to three products, with the ability to add more for $5.99 per month for each additional device. The plan incudes all of the benefits that come with ‌AppleCare‌+, such as unlimited repairs for accidents, priority support, battery coverage, and more.

Subscribers can freely move their devices in and out of the plan at any time. ‌AppleCare‌ One also enables users to add products they already own that are up to four years old, providing they are in good condition, extending beyond the current 60-day window to purchase ‌AppleCare‌+. When a customer trades in a covered product with Apple, it is automatically removed from their ‌AppleCare‌ One plan and replaced with the new device.

‌AppleCare‌ One also expands theft and loss protection to the iPad and Apple Watch. Previously, it was only available for the iPhone.

‌AppleCare‌ One's pricing is the same regardless of the products that are covered. Apple says that a customer who enrolls their ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, and Apple Watch could save up to $11 per month versus enrolling in separate ‌AppleCare‌+ plans for each device.

Customers in the United States can now sign up for AppleCare One on their ‌iPhone‌, ‌iPad‌, or Mac, or by visiting an Apple Store.
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Amazon has the 2025 11-inch iPad available for $299 this week, which is a $50 discount off of the regular price. If you're looking for an entry-level iPad that's affordable yet still plenty powerful enough for day to day tasks, the 2025 iPad is what you want.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

If you need more storage space, Amazon also has the 256GB and 512GB models available at a $50 discount. Lower prices are available across all color options.





The iPad works with the USB-C Apple Pencil, which you can pick up from Amazon for $69. It's not too much of a discount, but the Apple Pencil rarely comes down in price.



It's a good time to buy an iPad because it was just refreshed earlier this year with a faster A16 chip, and we're not expecting a new model until 2026.

For more deals on iPads and other Apple products, we have a dedicated deals roundup.
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iOS 26 isn't quite ready to launch yet, but we're far enough along in the testing process that Apple is seeding the update out to millions of public beta testers today. ‌iOS 26‌ is also now refined enough that we're able to share more detail on what this update will really mean for iPhone users when it comes in September.


When Apple showed off Liquid Glass on stage at WWDC 2025, it was dramatically different from iOS 18. Translucency was heavily used throughout the OS, with see-through buttons, navigation bars, menus, and more. There was such a heavy focus on translucency that early users expressed concerns over usability and readability.

During the developer beta testing period, Apple has walked back the more dramatic Liquid Glass effects somewhat, and gone back and forth on the design. The Control Center is no longer so transparent that it's hard to see the buttons, navigation bars look much more opaque, and notifications are no longer unreadable on busy backgrounds.

Beta 3 in particular resulted in complaints that Apple had gone too far walking back its design changes, mainly because it eliminated a lot of the transparency in apps. Apple then re-added some of that transparency in beta 4, which is what public beta testers are getting. Beta 4 is not as translucent as beta 1 and beta 2, but the reintroduction of more of the Liquid Glass effect has upset people who heavily favor legibility over design. There's still a significant split between those who prefer the translucency, and those who think it's a major design mistake.

Apple isn't done tweaking Liquid Glass, and the public beta feedback could result in better balance between visibility and the Liquid Glass look. It would be great if Apple implemented a transparency slider, allowing users to decide how much "frost" they want for the interface.

The Liquid Glass time and control buttons on the Lock Screen draw the eye and are aesthetically pleasing paired with a photo-based wallpaper. Apple added a feature where the time will dynamically change in size based on your wallpaper, and it's also able to dip further behind the subject of an image. This is available on Apple Watch for the Photos face too, and it works even better on the wrist. App icons have a stacked glass effect, and folders, the dock, the App Library, and Lock Screen notifications are still largely translucent. You can opt into the all-glass look for your app icons and widgets, which enhances the effect. Darker backgrounds will also give a glassier look, with Apple using more opaqueness for lighter backgrounds to improve readability.

While the actual glass look of the redesign has seen changes during the beta, navigation tweaks and simplifications have remained. The ‌Photos‌ app is the best example, and it has a streamlined two-tab main interface that reveals more as you need it. The pop-out menus and buttons that have replaced more complicated button-laden layouts from ‌iOS 18‌ are a welcome change across Apple's apps.

Some of the design updates are optional. Safari has a more compact design that tucks tab tools away behind a menu, but you can also choose to use the same Safari design that you have in ‌iOS 18‌. There's a unified Phone app that merges recent calls, missed calls, and voicemails, but you don't have to use it. There are places in the interface where the menus and navigation bars fall away when not needed to emphasize content, with Safari serving as an example. The tab bar collapses down when you scroll down, and comes right back up if you scroll up. It's an intuitive change that makes sense.

Apple walked back at least one controversial design change that was introduced in ‌iOS 18‌. The ‌Photos‌ app no longer has a unified view, and it's now split into a Library tab and a Collections tab. It's not the full navigation bar that was available before ‌iOS 18‌, but it is a compromise between the full bar and the unified look. Everything in ‌iOS 26‌ is round, and the soft curves work better than stark lines with the Liquid Glass look. Buttons that weren't round before are now. Menu bars have rounded corners and are more pill-shaped. Even the keyboard has more rounded edges.

There are features beyond Liquid Glass, though maybe not as many as we've had in past years. Apple didn't emphasize Apple Intelligence as much as it did at WWDC 2024 for obvious reasons, but there are quite a few Apple Intelligence features in ‌iOS 26‌.

• Live Translation - In the Messages, FaceTime, and Phone apps, you can get real-time translations for conversations with someone that doesn't speak your language. It's text-based translation in Messages and ‌FaceTime‌, and voiceover translation in the Phone app. Languages are limited right now, but it worked well in our testing. Translations were almost always accurate, and the feature is fast.


• Visual Intelligence for Screenshots - You can take a screenshot and bring up Visual Intelligence tools to ask questions about it or look it up in an app. It's handy if you remember that it exists, but it may not be a natural workflow for many people. It mostly leverages ChatGPT, Google Search, and a few other apps, and many of us are already able to quickly get screenshots to these services without Apple as a middleman.


• Wallet Order Tracking - The Wallet app can aggregate all of your purchases in one spot, pulling order and tracking information from the Mail app. It's a "beta" feature in a beta, and it's not working perfectly. It's not always great at linking an order email with a subsequent tracking email, so you may need to spend time manually marking packages as delivered.


• Image Playground - Apple didn't mention this at WWDC, but Image Playground in iOS 26 is a lot better at image generation, especially when you're generating an image based on a person. Apple also integrated ChatGPT styles that open up more options for the look of an image, but it's not useful unless you have a ChatGPT subscription. And if you do, you can just use ChatGPT directly for whatever you want to create.


• Genmoji - Genmoji has a feature that lets you select two or more existing emoji characters to create something new, and it's a clever way to give users a better idea of how to use the feature. Creating a ‌Genmoji‌ with a strawberry and a frog was entirely possible before, but now you can tap those emoji as a starting off point. The end results do tend to have a more emoji-style look because they're based on an emoji.


• Reminders - Siri can suggest Reminders you might want to add to your reminders list based on content found in Messages and Mail. If you're given a lot of tasks with either of these apps, it could be useful. There's also a categorization option that automatically organizes reminders into logical lists.


• Shortcuts - Apple added ‌Apple Intelligence‌ options into the Shortcuts app, but unfortunately, it doesn't really make it easier to create and use shortcuts. Making a shortcut is no more intuitive than it was before, and it's still a feature that's out of reach for casual users who either don't want to invest a bunch of time in shortcut creation, or those who don't quite grasp how it all works.


• Battery Changes - ‌iOS 26‌ has better battery reporting tools, but this one is limited to newer devices. It provides a weekly view of battery usage and a comparison of how much battery you're using currently vs. your typical average. It's a surprisingly helpful metric, and it informs a new Adaptive Power mode that can adjust things like display brightness and background activities if it detects that you're using more battery than you usually do.

Apple didn't lock all of the useful functionality in ‌iOS 26‌ behind an ‌Apple Intelligence‌ barrier, so there are great new features that users with older iPhones will be able to use.

• Call Screening - The Phone app can ask a caller for their name and reason for calling, with that information relayed to you before you answer. This might end up being too impersonal for some, but it is an effective way to screen for spam.


• Hold Assist - Hold Assist does what the name suggests. If you're on hold, you can put them on hold too. The ‌iPhone‌ will alert you when someone is back on the line.


• Messages Backgrounds - Backgrounds in Messages conversations can be customized, provided you're chatting with another ‌iPhone‌ user. Every conversation can have a different background, but be warned - changing the background changes it for everyone. Apple needs to add a per-conversation toggle for backgrounds, because right now, it's all or nothing. There may also be instances where someone wants to set a background that's only for themselves, something that's also not an option.


• Messages Copy/Paste - If you've ever wanted to copy just a tracking number, email, or some other part of an iMessage rather than just the entire message, that's finally an option in ‌iOS 26‌.


• AutoMix - AutoMix is an Apple Music feature that transitions from one song to another as the song that's playing ends. It uses time stretching and beat matching for a smooth shift, and it's almost like having an AI DJ in your pocket. It's not great with all genres yet, but it's a feature that ‌Apple Music‌ users are going to love.


• Spatial Scenes - Spatial Scenes adds a little bit of depth to a 2D photo, giving it a more 3D look and feel. If you've ever seen those spatial Facebook images that have a little bit of movement based on depth information, it's a lot like that.


• Apple Maps - Apple Maps can learn your frequent commutes and provide useful information like whether there are any delays that are going to slow you down when you're trying to get to work. Apple also added a Saved Places feature that keeps track of places that you've visited. For some people, that's going to be an unwanted privacy nightmare, but for others, it's a cool way to remember spots you liked and want to visit again. It's totally opt-in.


• Games - There's a Games app, but will people use it? Will it result in any notable uptick in mobile gaming? We've barely touched the app during beta, and it doesn't do anything useful that the App Store app doesn't do. There's a feature for challenging friends to beat your score in a game, but it's limited to a handful of apps right now.

Should You Update?

‌iOS 26‌ is fairly stable at this point, but keep in mind that it is a beta update and things can go wrong. Apps can break, features can stop working, the battery drain can be intense, and resprings and crashes can be frequent. Apple doesn't recommend installing betas on a main device.

We haven't had significant problems with the developer betas over the last month and a half, but it's not worth it if you have essential apps or need to maximize battery life.

If you're anticipating installing ‌iOS 26‌ and are worried about the design changes, don't be. The core features of iOS are still there, and everything that's changed is fairly intuitive. It's easy to adjust to the new look and many of the interface updates, and changes that are harder to adjust to such as the new Safari bar and the all-in-one look for the Phone app can be turned off.

Read More About iOS 26

We have a dedicated iOS 26 roundup that walks through all of the different ‌iOS 26‌ features, as well as multiple guides that go into even more depth.
This article, "iOS 26 Review: Testing Apple's Biggest iPhone Update" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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If you've been thinking about picking up a MacBook Pro, Amazon has the latest M4 models on sale this week. The base M4 MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD is available for $1,400, down from $1,600.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

The discount is available on both the silver and the space black models, with delivery as soon as tomorrow for Prime users.



Apple also has higher-end models on sale. The 14-inch M4 Pro models are up to $261 off, while the 14-inch M4 Max models are up to $353 off. You can get up to $450 off one of the 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models.

14-inch MacBook Pro

• M4 10-Core/16GB RAM/512GB - $1,399.00 ($200 off)


• M4 10-Core/16GB RAM/1TB - $1,589.00 ($210 off)


• M4 10-Core/24GB RAM/1TB - $1,769.00 ($230 off)


• M4 Pro 12-Core/24GB RAM/512GB - $1,785.00 ($215 off)


• M4 Pro 14-Core/24GB RAM/1TB - $2,138.00 ($261 off)


• M4 Max 14-Core/36GB RAM/1TB - $2,846.00 ($353 off)

16-inch MacBook Pro

• M4 Pro 14-Core/24GB RAM/512GB - $2,234.00 ($265 off)


• M4 Pro 14-Core/48GB RAM/512GB - $2,549.99 ($250 off)


• M4 Max 14-Core/36GB RAM/1TB - $3,099.00 ($400 off)


• M4 Max 16-Core/48GB RAM/1TB - $3,549.00 ($450 off)

Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.
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Apple today provided public beta testers with updated beta firmware for the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4, allowing them to test the new AirPods features in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe. The firmware is only available to developers and public beta testers at the current time, and a device running ‌iOS 26‌, ‌iPadOS 26‌, or macOS 26 is required to install the update.


The firmware adds several features that Apple is debuting alongside ‌iOS 26‌, ‌iPadOS 26‌, and macOS Tahoe.

The ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 and ‌AirPods 4‌ support improved audio quality for phone calls and video calls, plus studio-quality audio recording for interviews, podcasts, and videos. There's also an option to use the AirPods as a camera remote with the Camera app to take photos or start a video recording.

With ‌iOS 26‌, ‌iPadOS 26‌, and macOS Tahoe, Apple added a firmware update installation option that's available from the AirPods settings interface when the AirPods are connected to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. This is the first time that Apple has provided beta firmware to public beta testers.
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Apple is allowing members of its public beta testing program to download and install iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 starting today. You can sign up for the public betas on Apple's beta website. The first public beta features the same content as the fourth developer beta that came out earlier this week, though there is a new fourth beta available for developers as well.


Beta testers that have registered on Apple's website can download the ‌iOS 26‌ and ‌iPadOS 26‌ updates by opening the Settings app, going to the General section, tapping on Software Update, and choosing the ‌iOS 26‌ or ‌iPadOS 26‌ Public Beta options.

‌iOS 26‌ and ‌iPadOS 26‌ feature Apple's Liquid Glass design, with a visual aesthetic that focuses on transparency. Icons, menu buttons, navigation bars, and more reflect and refract light with subtle animations. There are pop-out menus in some areas, tab bars shrink down, and everything has a more rounded look.


There are new Apple Intelligence features like Visual Intelligence for screenshots, updated order tracking in the Wallet app, new features in Reminders, and Live Translation for the Messages, Phone, and FaceTime apps. Image Playground has ChatGPT style options, and Genmoji supports mixing two or more emoji characters to make something new.


2D photos have a more 3D look with a Spatial Scene feature, and Safari has updated navigation. In the Phone app, there are new Call Screening and Hold Assist features that will save you time, while the Messages app supports customizable backgrounds and polls. Apple Music has a DJ-like AutoMix feature, CarPlay has an overhauled interface, there's a new Apple Games app, and Preview has come to the iPhone for the first time.


For more on all of the new features in the updates, we have a dedicated iOS 26 roundup and a separate iPadOS 26 roundup.
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Apple today provided public beta testers with the opportunity to test the newest version of macOS, macOS Tahoe, ahead of its launch this fall. If you want to sign up for the macOS Tahoe public beta, you can do so on Apple's beta website. The first Tahoe public beta is identical to the fourth developer beta that was released on Tuesday.


Public beta testers can download macOS Tahoe from the Software Update section of the Settings app after signing up for the betas.

macOS Tahoe has the same Liquid Glass design as iOS 26, and it extends to app icons, folders, the Dock, in-app navigation, menus, the Control Center, and the Menu Bar. The Control Center and the Menu Bar are both customizable, and you're also able to customize folders, app icons, and widgets.


Safari has an updated tab design and a redesigned sidebar, and Apple has brought the Phone app to the Mac for making phone calls through Wi-Fi Calling. The Phone app supports the new Call Screening and Hold Assist features.

Spotlight has been overhauled with improved search and the ability to execute hundreds of actions without opening up an app. There's a new Games app with a Game Overlay feature, and developers have access to Metal 4.

More on what's new can be found in our macOS Tahoe roundup.
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Apple today seeded the first public betas of tvOS 26 and watchOS 26 to Apple TV and Apple Watch users who have signed up for the public beta program. The new tvOS 26 and ‌watchOS 26‌ public betas are the same as the fourth public betas that launched earlier in the week.


‌watchOS 26‌ and tvOS 26 can be downloaded through the Settings app on each device after you sign up on Apple's beta website.

The two updates both adopt Apple's Liquid Glass aesthetic, which is also coming in macOS Tahoe and iOS 26. Liquid Glass focuses on transparency and a more rounded look for menus and other interface elements.

‌watchOS 26‌ includes Workout Buddy, an Apple Intelligence feature meant to motivate you during your workouts. The Workout app interface has been redesigned, the Smart Stack has more actionable suggestions, the Messages app offer Live Translation and better Smart Replies, and the Phone app features like Call Screening and Hold Assist are available on the watch. Apple also brought the Notes app to the Apple Watch, so you can create notes and view existing notes right from your wrist.


tvOS 26 supports a new Apple Music Sing feature that uses the iPhone as a microphone, plus there are new lyric translation and pronunciation tools. FaceTime has been updated with incoming call notifications and contact posters, there are new aerial screen savers, and there's an option to set an AirPlay speaker as a permanent speaker for an ‌Apple TV‌.


Apple is not providing public beta testers with a visionOS 26 beta ahead of when the software launches, but there will be an opportunity to install the new AirPods beta firmware to test new AirPods functionality. Apple also plans to provide testers with HomePod 26 software.
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Woot this week is back with a massive sale on Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop bands for Apple Watch, and some of the deals are even better than they were in past sales.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

You can get the Solo Loop for just $14.99 ($34 off) and the Braided Solo Loop for $29.99 ($69 off). In regards to the Solo Loop, this price beats the previous discount at Woot by $5. All bands in this sale are in brand new condition and come with a one-year Apple limited warranty.



Shoppers should note that this sale is focused on colors of the Braided Solo Loop and Solo Loop that Apple has stopped selling, and it doesn't include any of the new band colors. That being said, all of the bands in this sale are in new condition.

The entire sale is focused on Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop Apple Watch bands, so you'll need to know the size that works best for you before you buy. Apple has a measurement tool on its website that you can use to determine your exact size.

Solo Loop

• Black/White Hues - $14.99, down from $49.00


• Blue Hues - $14.99, down from $49.00


• Green Hues - $14.99, down from $49.00


• Purple Hues - $14.99, down from $49.00


• Red/Orange/Yellow Hues - $14.99, down from $49.00

Braided Solo Loop

• Black/White Hues - $29.99, down from $99.00


• Blue Hues - $29.99, down from $99.00


• Green Hues - $29.99, down from $99.00


• Purple Hues - $29.99, down from $99.00


• Red/Orange/Yellow Hues - $29.99, down from $99.00


• Pride - $29.99, down from $99.00

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "Woot's Big Apple Watch Band Sale Has Solo/Braided Loops at Massive Discounts" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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To celebrate the launch of its online store in Saudi Arabia this week, Apple rolled out a new page that lets you customize your own wallpaper.


All of the wallpapers have an Apple logo with a design that resembles calligraphy. There are five preset color combinations to choose from, or you can mix and match your own background and logo colors, and then download the wallpaper to your device.

The wallpapers are available across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, so simply visit the page from the device that you want the wallpaper for to get the correct size.

Thanks, Filip Chudzinski!
This article, "Apple Shares New Customizable Wallpaper With Mix-and-Match Options" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The fourth developer beta of iOS 26 introduces 12 new CarPlay wallpapers.


The new CarPlay wallpapers are based on the official iOS 26 wallpaper for the iPhone, which has colorful semicircles with a Liquid Glass design.

MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris shared all of the wallpapers in a social media post. There are six color options, with light and dark variants for each, for a total of 12 wallpapers. The color options include blue, brown, gray, green, purple, and red.

• Related: Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 4

To see the new wallpapers in CarPlay, open the Settings app and tap on Wallpaper. Of course, you will need to have an iPhone running iOS 26 connected to your vehicle. In addition to the developer beta, a public beta of iOS 26 will likely be available this week, and the update should be released to the general public in mid-September.

All of the new wallpapers can be seen below. Some of the previous CarPlay wallpapers offered on iOS 18 have been removed.


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BMW has confirmed it will not support Apple's next-generation CarPlay Ultra platform in any of its upcoming vehicles.


This is the first unequivocal public rejection of ‌CarPlay‌ Ultra by BMW since the system's announcement. The automaker had previously issued a neutral position in 2022 following Apple's unveiling, stating:

Currently, we have placed a clear focus on further enhancing our iDrive user interface system and, as part of this development, will continue the seamless integration of Apple's ecosystem. Integral to these efforts will be an evaluation of how the latest innovations announced at WWDC can be integrated into our solutions.

Now, a BMW AG spokesperson has told BMW Blog that "BMW currently has no plans to integrate Apple ‌CarPlay‌ Ultra."

BMW's new iDrive X platform is set to launch later this year on the BMW iX3, serving as the digital foundation for all Neue Klasse models going forward. iDrive X features what BMW calls the "Panoramic Display," which projects contextual information across the lower edge of the windshield. BMW will continue to support standard ‌CarPlay‌ and Android Auto functionality, but only on the main infotainment screen.

Apple first previewed ‌CarPlay‌ Ultra at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2022, showcasing a significantly more immersive and integrated in-car interface. Unlike the standard version of ‌CarPlay‌, which is largely confined to the central infotainment display, ‌CarPlay‌ Ultra fully expands across all of a vehicle's displays. It also allows drivers to access and control core vehicle functions such as climate control and cameras through Apple's single system.

BMW's decision follows similar announcements from other major manufacturers who have opted against adopting ‌CarPlay‌ Ultra, including Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Polestar, and Renault. All four companies were previously seen as potential adopters but have since withdrawn support. Porsche, Ford, Hyundai, Genesis, Kia, Honda, Acura, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, and Nissan are all still expected to offer ‌CarPlay‌ Ultra in the future.

The timeline for adoption of ‌CarPlay‌ Ultra remains unclear, with only Aston Martin having shipped vehicles with the system to date. The pace of rollout from other confirmed partners is currently unknown.

‌CarPlay‌ Ultra effectively displaces the automaker's native user interface with Apple's design language and system logic. As a result, manufacturers that prioritize brand differentiation, software control, and even a simpler development burden, especially in the premium segment, have expressed reluctance to adopt ‌CarPlay‌ Ultra.
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While the focus is now on iOS 26, there is still an iOS 18.6 update incoming.


As noted by Aaron Zollo, Apple on Wednesday re-labeled iOS 18.6 Beta 4 as simply iOS 18.6, meaning that it is the Release Candidate version. This change effectively confirms that the update will be released to the public next week.

Alongside the new label, Apple shared release notes for iOS 18.6, which is a minor update focused on bug fixes and security patches. One of the fixes is for an issue that prevented sharing memory movies in the Photos app, according to Apple.

"This update provides important bug fixes and security updates, and fixes an issue in Photos that could prevent memory movies from being shared," the release notes say.

iOS 18.6 should be released to the public early next week, and iOS 18.7 will likely follow in September with additional security patches.

As for iOS 26, the fourth developer beta was released this week, and the first public beta will likely be available today or tomorrow.
This article, "Apple Shares iOS 18.6 Release Notes" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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WhatsApp is testing a new feature that lets users set reminders for particular messages that they want to refer back to, based on new findings in the latest beta version.


According to WABetaInfo, the feature allows users to long press on any message and select a new "Remind me" option in the popup menu. Users can then choose between 2 hours, 8 hours, 24 hours, or a custom duration after which they will be alerted about it.

A bell symbol appears in the corner of the message to indicate a reminder has been set. When the reminder alert comes through, users see the message content, the conversation in which it's located, and a preview of any accompanying media.

The ability to schedule a reminder about a message should be a lot more convenient and foolproof than, say, starring a message or taking a screenshot of it and hoping you'll remember to come back to it.

WABetaInfo says that WhatsApp is also testing a way to occasionally send users notifications highlighting unread messages from contacts they interact with most frequently. The idea is to alert users who manage multiple conversations and may have overlooked the message.

The features remain in the beta version for Android for now, and there's no telling if or when they'll be implemented in a general WhatsApp update for iOS, but we'll be sure to let you know.
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Apple has announced that it will be opening a new retail store in the in the heart of Osaka, Japan, on Saturday, July 26.


Apple Umeda is the second Apple store to open in Osaka and the 11th to open in Japan. It is located at 4-20 Ofukacho in the Kita ward of Osaka, next to the Osaka Station.

To celebrate the occasion, Apple has released a special wallpaper for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac that can be downloaded for free by visiting Apple's Japan website.

Many of Apple's newer stores feature an Apple Pickup station for collecting online orders, along with a Genius Bar designed with counters at different heights to enhance accessibility.

The store opens at 10:00 a.m. local time, according to Apple's website. There will be a full program of Today At Apple sessions, including "Say Hello to Apple Intelligence" and a deep dive into photography techniques using iPhone 16.
This article, "Apple Opening New Retail Store in Japan This Weekend" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Qi2 25W wireless charging has been officially announced by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), confirming its coming support for compatible iPhones. Qi2 was previously known only by its version number, Qi2.2, but the WPC's announcement indicates it will take the brand name Qi2 25W.


Currently, iPhones featuring MagSafe use Qi 2, the widely supported second-generation charging standard. With third-party chargers, Qi 2 maxes out at 15W – although iPhone 16 models support upgraded 25W MagSafe charging using an official 30W Apple charger.

The WPC doesn't specify which iPhone models will support Qi2 25W, but Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 models are almost certain to include out-of-the-box compatibility, based on regulatory filings for new MagSafe charger models. There's also a chance that iPhone 16 models could receive an update to support Qi2 25W, given the magnetic Qi2 standard is partly based on Apple's MagSafe design.

Expect iPhone-compatible third-party Qi2 25W chargers to become increasingly prevalent as we edge closer to the launch of the iPhone 17 lineup in September. Ugreen has already announced its MagFlow Magnetic Power Bank, which it claimed was first in the world to receive Qi2 25W certification from the WPC. Other accessory makers including Baseus and Anker have also announced early certification.

"The momentum building behind the next stage in the evolution of the Qi standard is incredible," said Fady Mishriki, chair of the WPC's Board of Directors. "Consumers will be delighted when they experience Qi2 25W as it delivers nearly 70% more power than the original Qi2. The number of devices in the Qi2 25W certification queue for launch is unprecedented, as is the quality and breadth of our members product designs."

Android phones are also expected to pick up support, including Samsung's flagship devices. In addition to faster charging, Qi2 25W offers improved magnetic alignment and charging efficiency compared to its predecessor.
This article, "WPC Announces Qi2 25W Wireless Charging With iPhone Support" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Epic Games today criticized the focus of measures that the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is considering implementing against Apple and Google, claiming that it might not be able to bring Fortnite back to the iOS App Store in the UK.


The CMA said that it will designate Apple and Google with "strategic market status" under new digital competition laws, giving the CMA the ability to direct how the ‌App Store‌ and Play Store are run. The CMA is focusing on Apple's anti-steering rules and app review processes rather than forcing Apple to support sideloading through alternative app stores, which is what ‌Epic Games‌ takes issue with.

‌Epic Games‌ says that it won't be able to bring the ‌Epic Games‌ Store to iOS in the UK this year, and Fortnite's return to iOS in the UK is "now uncertain" because the CMA is not prioritizing opening the mobile ecosystem to alternative app stores.

A free market requires multiple stores competing to offer consumers the best prices and services. If you don't have competing stores, the one store that is a state-sanctioned monopoly will use its control to extract all the value from the market at the expense of all creators who cannot compete, and consumers who can't choose the best deal among competing stores.

‌Epic Games‌ also claims that any anti-steering rules will see "years of malicious compliance" from Apple, suggesting that Apple used "restrictions, obstructions, and junk fees" in Europe to "make a mockery of the Digital Markets Act." Apple and Google must be "completely blocked from imposing fees and discriminating against apps using out-of-app payment," reads Epic's blog post.

The CMA does not plan to consider store competition until sometime in 2026, which ‌Epic Games‌ says is "bleak news."
This article, "Fortnite's Return to iOS in the UK Uncertain as Epic Games Criticizes 'Weak' Apple Regulations" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Sonos today named interim CEO Tom Conrad as its permanent CEO, officially replacing Patrick Spence after he stepped down back in January.


Spence was CEO of Sonos for eight years, and he oversaw the disastrous app redesign that disappointed Sonos customers due to missing features and poor performance. Sonos had to delay product launches in order to focus on fixing the app, and ultimately laid off 100 employees.

Tom Conrad co-founded music service Pandora, and he was vice president of product at Snap and Chief Product Officer at Quibi. He also served on the Sonos board before being appointed interim CEO. Sonos was searching for a replacement CEO, but Conrad has been successful turning things around at Sonos over the past six months.

Conrad has been named Sonos' CEO, and he will also remain on the Board of Directors.

"Following a comprehensive and competitive search, the Board is confident that Tom is the best person to lead Sonos into its next chapter of delighting customers, spearheading innovation, and driving growth," said Julius Genachowski, Chair of the Board. "Over the past six months, Tom has earned the confidence of our employees, customers, partners and shareholders by restoring urgency and a deep commitment to delivering ever-improving experiences. He has a compelling vision for Sonos' future, with strong plans to harness technology to benefit our customers, as AI and other advances reframe the landscape and unlock new opportunities. We're energized by what Sonos' next chapter holds for all our stakeholders."

Sonos was able to improve its app and launch the Sonos Ace headphones and the Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar under Conrad's leadership. Conrad said that he is excited to "move from rebuilding to imagining the next generation of experiences."
This article, "Sonos Gets New CEO After App Disaster" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser.


‌Safari Technology Preview‌ 224 includes fixes and updates for Accessibility, Animations, CSS, Forms, Images, Rendering, Text, Web API, Web Extensions, and Web Inspector.

The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is compatible with machines running macOS Sequoia and macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS that's set to launch this later this year.

The ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser from Apple’s website. Complete release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.

Apple’s aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.
This article, "Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 224 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The "T-Satellite" Starlink satellite service that T-Mobile has been testing for the last several months is now out of beta, T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert announced today.


Satellite-based connectivity is available for T-Mobile subscribers, but it is also an option for Verizon and AT&T users. T-Mobile's offering uses over 650 Starlink satellites to allow users to send text messages when they are out of range of a cellular or Wi-Fi connection.

T-Mobile says that its satellite services work with more than 600 smartphones, including iPhones. If you have an iPhone 14 or later, you can use T-Satellite, though these devices already have Apple's built-in satellite functionality that works with Globalstar satellites. You will need iOS 18.3 or later to sign up.

The T-Mobile satellite service is limited to texting with iMessage and SMS, and data is not supported. Apple's built-in satellite service supports sending and receiving messages, sharing location via Find My, connecting with emergency services, getting satellite-based weather updates, and arranging roadside assistance via satellite. Apple does not yet charge for any of its Satellite functionality.

T-Satellite is free for Beyond 5G and Go5G customers, while T-Mobile users with other plans can get the service added to their plans for $10 per month using the Manage Add-Ons option in their accounts. AT&T and Verizon customers can get T-Satellite for $10 per month by contacting T-Mobile customer support. The $10/month pricing is a limited-time promotion, and T-Mobile intends to raise the price to $15 per month in the future.

‌iPhone‌ users who sign up for T-Mobile's satellite service and connect to a Starlink satellite will see a small "SAT" icon in the status bar
This article, "T-Mobile's Starlink Satellite Service Officially Launches With iPhone Support" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon has some decent deals on the latest M3 iPad Air models this week, with $50 to $70 off most models.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

The 11-inch 128GB Wi-Fi iPad Air in Blue is priced at $539, down from $599. Other colors are around $10 more expensive. The 11-inch 128GB Space Gray iPad Air with cellular connectivity is priced at $678, down from $749.





If you want more storage, you can get a better deal. The 11-inch Space Gray iPad Air with 256GB of storage is priced at $629, down from $699. The 256GB cellular model in purple is priced at $774, down from $849. The 11-inch Wi-Fi iPad Air with 512GB of storage in Space Gray is priced at $799, down from $899, and the cellular version in blue is priced at $959, down from $1,049. The 11-inch cellular 1TB iPad Air in Starlight is available for $1021, down from $1,249.











For the larger 13-inch iPad Air, the base Wi-Fi model with 128GB of storage in purple is priced at $699, down from $799, and the 512GB Wi-Fi model in Space Gray is priced at $999, down from $1,099.




For more iPad deals, we have a dedicated Deals Roundup that has all of the current best prices available across different models.
This article, "M3 iPad Air on Sale at Up to $228 Off" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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